Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1887-07-01
KENTUCKY VENDETTA.
The Sheriff and Posse Kill the Despcradoes Who
Have Terrorized Rowan County, KY, aud 7
= - Killed Twenty. one Peanle. -. u :.

The Sheriff and Posse Kill the pespcr.does who
/ Have Terrorized Rowan County, Ky., aud
r ',> Killed Twenty. one People. = %,,s.s
a dispatch from Louisville, KY, eives
the outlines OF vendetta oitrages, such MS
are unknown in other sections, but are
quite in keeping on the dark and bloody.
soil OF old Kentucky: In August 1884,
after heated election contest, Cook
Humphreys was elected sheriff OF Rowan
county by ~ majority over Sam
uel Goodwin. During the canvass many
animosities were engendered, the Martins
allying themselves with the Humphreys
and the Tallivers with the Goodwins
Craig Talliver, the leader OF the latter fac.
ton swore after the election that Hum
phreys should never ride Rowan county as
sheriff. Since that date life after life has
been offered on the alter ofhatred and bad
blood with increasing frequency despite the
best efforts OF the judiciary and militia,
backed by the strong arm OF the state gov
ernment. The names OF the victims in the
order killed are as follows:
Solomon Bradley, John Martin. White
gardner, Mason Keeton, John Marlow,
John Davis, Wiley, Tolliver, a railroad
employ named Witcher, Willie Logan,
Ben Rayburn. John Day. Floyd
Tolliver, party whose name il not re.
membered, besides the two recent victims,
John B. Logan and W. II. Logan, and
Craig Tolliver, Bud Tolliver, Jay Tolliver
and Hiram Cooper.
The fight was at Moorhead between
sheriffs posse and the Tolliver gang. Sheriff
Hogg, presumably acting under instruc-
tions from the state auth critics, has been
for a week organizing e. posse for the
purpose OF arresting Craig Toliver. Toll
yer had received intimations OF this, and
his party, consisting OF about ten men,
were quite vigilant and went heavily
armed. The sheriff finally decided to at
tempt the arrest Of the assassins Wednes-
day, June 20, in the day time, and
to prevent any women, children Or
inoifensive citizens from being killed
by accident at an early hour this
morning people living on the line OF the
railroad within two or three miles OF More
head on each side OF the town were notified
to stop all trains and inform the conduct
ors what was going on in the forehead, SO
that the passengers and train men would
not be placed in danger.
Sheriff Hoyg's band OF resolnte men, num-
bering probably more than two hundred,
| suddenly appeared at Morehead about 8
o'clock this evening. A Gordon was first es-
! tablished around the entire town in the
VI uSL NIeIt Cue IlEI COuiu nov De Seeu.
The sheriff then entered the town at the
head OF about one hundred well armed
men. Craig Tolliver and his ten followers
Immediately retreated to the Cot
| tase hotel. which they had prev.
iously barricaded in such a manner
| as TO make it quite formidable fortif-
cation. Sheriff Hogg then notified Tollver
| chat he had warrants FOR the arrest OF all
! the men implicated in the killing of the
Logan boys and asked that they all sub
nit peaceably to arrest. Tol]iver's reply
men would be arrested, and
that a. hundred men could not
take them. His party then opened fire on
the sheriff s posse. The fighting was kept up
! probably for two hours. The only c..sualt y
| for q time was flesh wound received by
one OF the sheriH's posse. The besieged
party finally finding things growing too
| warm, concluded to make I, bold rush
| for liberty. AS they made the
rush they we're met by a tremendous vol.
ley which killed Craig Tolliver, Bud Toll
| YER, Jay Tolliver and Hiram Cooper. They
were all shot through the heart and died
Instantly. Craig To]liver seemed to have
been 81 general target, as he WAS SO thor
oughly riddled as to be scarcely recognize
| able The others Of the gang got through
| safely but as they approached the brush
they were met by volley from the out
side Gordon, consisting OF a. line OF men
stationed ten or twelve feet apart all
around the town. This voley wounded
Cate Tolliver, a twelve-year- boy, and
Others, all Of whom were captured except
Cate Tolliver, who crawled into the brush
and escaped. This brought the battle to
an end, and the slain were gathered up
and laid out on the street, where they
were viewed by the people and the passen-
gers from the train.